Fourth Graders Have ‘Big Experience’ in Philadelphia
Fourth graders pose for a group photo in front of the Liberty Bell.
As an extension of their history curriculum, and as part of their Big Experience, fourth graders took a trip to Philadelphia on Friday, Oct. 21. It was a springboard to highlight the grade’s focus on leadership and citizenship.
Students had the opportunity to visit Signers’ Hall at The National Constitution Center, where they saw life-size statues of the signers of the Constitution.
“Ms. Thompson is as tall as James Madison!” exclaimed one student.
“In Signers’ Hall, we walked among 42 life-size bronze statues of the Founding Fathers,” explained Tate W. in a journal reflection about the trip. “Benjamin Franklin was so shiny because he was touched the most.”
“The museum is a great place for learning about American history, and Philadelphia has a lot of places that were very important when America was first becoming a country,” noted Cecelia F.
The fourth graders also visited Independence Hall and saw the Liberty Bell.
“My favorite thing about Philadelphia was when I got to see the Liberty Bell and the crack in it because it shows a lot of history about it,” said Reid M.
Finally, they watched a show entitled “Freedom Rising.”
“We went to a theater and saw a show called ‘Freedom Rising,’ and it talked about the buildup to the Revolutionary War,” added Erik M.
“I liked going to see the show because the person was teaching us but also it was cool to see the projections and the art on the walls,” echoed Evelyn I.
According to Fourth Grade teacher Dawn Crainer, “The time of year we visited was perfect. The ‘Freedom Rising’ show literally summarized everything we had just taught them in history, so it was a cumulative review of what they had just learned.”
“I liked the field trip because it was interesting seeing all these historical places, such as [the] Constitution Center, Signers’ Hall, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell,” Arianna C. wrote in a journal reflection. “We got to see a copy of the Declaration of Independence. The real one is all faded from all the traveling.”
Students learned about how people used their voices and leadership positions to problem-solve, compromise, and enact change in an effort to create a “more perfect union.”
“It was a lovely opportunity for the kids to watch history come to life,” added Fourth Grade teacher Jennifer Fagundo. “The National Constitution Center was a big hit, and the interactive feature there was a great kickstarter to our Big Experience and dovetails nicely with our curriculum about new government.”
Hackley’s Big Experience initiatives support a key pillar of the school’s strategic plan—Redefining Excellence: Learning Beyond Boundaries—to promote the Hilltop as a learning hub, broadening the curriculum in terms of competencies and experiences to meet the needs of tomorrow’s learners and citizens.
